A student's life is filled with examinations, more often than not the information to remember is overloaded and time, short. Besides the stress, the above statement is true, more so for students who are taking an examination like Joint Entrance Exam (JEE). A student taking JEE must not only prepare for the test but also must focus on their Boards examination.
To do well, besides juggling time and studying for both the exams, a student must keep themselves motivated for a period of at least 2 years. A student often starts with great enthusiasm and zeal to ace the exam with flying colors but keeping themselves motivated for 2 years is not easy and the amount of information doesn't make things simpler. This is a common scenario that takes place in a student's life when he/she comes face-to-face with difficult topics or when it's just that day when things don't seem to keep moving as it should. The feeling of monotony or getting stuck in the same situation can seep in easily and then comes the need to pick themselves up.
These are the situations that can push a student to the verge of giving up. When the situation of ‘everything is lost’ arises, one should try something new:
- Forming groups: If solitary monotony sets in, one can form a group of like-minded people to bounce off ideas. This will set things in motion.
- Question self: When a topic is done, one should try to self-question regarding the same. Create questions of the topic like an examiner, as this will be a different take on learning and an engaging technique. The questions created can also be used later as a revision tool.
- Are books the only way? No. It's the age of online coaching, podcasts, and webinars. There are plenty of such sessions online to help one prepare for an exam like JEE. One can try these out to break the shackles.
- Shuffle/Change the schedule: It's good to have a set schedule when one is preparing for such examinations, but having a stringent schedule can lead to boredom. Everyone needs a change in life and repetitiveness can leave a sour taste. To get out of such situations, one can look to juggle stuff around. A student, without compromising study hours can change his/her study time to stir things up and keep things fresh.
- Break it down: Students usually get stuck when they come against a difficult topic and they see no way out. It is important to get it done rather than getting everything done in a day. One can break the topic down and make life easier itself.
- Take time out for other activities: Infusing time for other activities in the daily schedule will keep a student fresh. It's a myth that students need to bury themselves in books to ace an exam. Too much of anything never yields the desired result. That also means that too much of other activities will hamper studies, so smart scheduling is required. It's good to get some fresh air from time to time or ordering a different type of cuisine once in a while, or meeting other humans.
The stress of these examinations and the weight of expectations can take a toll on students. When desired results don't yield, it is crucial to change the way things are getting done.